Bingeing on Halloween Candy

on October 21, 2008 at 7:14 AM

As much as we enjoy dressing up our little ones as firemen, pirates, and princesses, we can't help but dread the end of the night and the resulting cache of carbohydrates. Please, Mommy, can I have just one more Twix? This is the last roll of Smarties, I promise!

I know you're with me on this--sugar is not a friend to a 3- and 5-year-old an hour before bedtime.

And it's not just a one-nighter. If you live in a big neighborhood, those sugar highs, bellyaches, and sticky teeth can go on for weeks or even months. Some parents I know dread the prospect so much that they let their tykes eat the whole bag as soon as trick-or-treating is over, just to be rid of it once and for all.

Dr. Young-Jin Sue, an emergency room pediatrician at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx, would discourage you from considering that. She feels Halloween is a great opportunity to teach discipline and moderation.

There are other alternatives, she says, like suggesting the child donate their least favorite candies to the local senior center or soup kitchens, or offering to exchange some or all of their haul for other rewards, like money or small toys.

For older kids, Dr. Sue suggests taking their candy and allowing them to earn it back with household chores or homework well done.

Take our poll and tell us whether Halloween candy in your house lasts one night or many weeks. And let us know if you have some other creative ideas to lessen the impact.

About the author Cynthia Dermody

is The Stir's Managing Editor who has trophies in her home for her skills at the Irish Jig. She makes cupcakes with as many fattening ingredients as possible, doesn't comb her hair for months at a time, and was probably a faerie in a former life.

Filed Under: activities, food, health, sick days

Comments (5)

aidensmomma508

on Oct 21, 2008 at 9:57 AM

that little care bear is so cute! I am going to let my son have a lot of candy on Halloween, and then spread the rest out over the next few weeks.

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Cafe Amy

on Oct 21, 2008 at 12:39 PM

A dentist once told me it would be better for their teeth to just let them eat whatever they can get through that night... rather than spread it out over time. And then toss the rest (or give it away). I like the idea but my kids would be bouncing off walls if I let them go through all of their candy in one night!

NooYawka

on Oct 22, 2008 at 8:21 AM

I've always let them eat a sickly amount the night of. And then I parcel out some, to have as a snack after lunch (and the older ones get the treat in their lunchbox). But by the end of the week, it's all gone because I scarfed down all the Butterfingers....oh, uh, I mean, I threw it all out because it's all so unhealthy, yeah, that's it!...

Heh.

healthygirl0913

on Oct 28, 2008 at 9:17 PM

I wrote about some great halloween candies that aren't super loaded with sugar or calories on my prevention buzz blog - check it out! http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081027164204AAkfPqV Happy Halloween!

25beengoodtome

on Feb 20, 2009 at 5:34 PM

Halloween night, after an hour or two of tricks & treating, We have the kids sit down with a nice warm/hot bowl of soup.BEFORE any candy or treats are looked at. The kids have a little swap-meet of their own, trading off their candies and treats. We limit their eating to 1 after school, 1 after dinner. That's ONE piece, not one package!